Kathrine Frich
Prisoners convicted of violent crimes are being released to fight in Ukraine under military contracts in Russia.
Official data remain secret, but multiple investigations indicate that some of those freed include serial killers and repeat offenders.
Convicts released for war service
According to reports from Sibir.Realii and Digi24, 64-year-old Vagan Safaryan was released from detention in early 2025 after applying to serve in the Russian army.
His trial for double homicide was suspended, and he was sent to Ukraine as part of an assault unit.
Safaryan had previously served 18 years in a penal colony for another killing.
Family members told journalists they could not believe he was freed. One relative said, “I can’t believe that such people not only get released, but are given weapons in their hands.”
Serial offenders among new recruits
Another prisoner, 63-year-old Yuri Gritsenko from Zelenograd, is serving in a medical evacuation platoon.
He was convicted of at least five murders and several attacks in the early 2000s.
Human rights advocates in Mordovia confirmed his release under a military contract in 2023.
Gritsenko spent 13 years in solitary confinement because of repeated assaults on prison staff and inmates.
Despite long-term psychiatric supervision, he was declared fit for service. A legal source told reporters, “Given his diagnosis, it was dangerous to release him.”
Additional cases documented
Similar examples have been reported across Russia.
In Irkutsk, a man sentenced for multiple rapes and murders was freed after signing a contract with the army. In Omsk, another convict jailed for killing a local athlete was pardoned.
Since 2022, Russia has repeatedly recruited inmates through both private military companies and the Ministry of Defense.
The practice was later formalized by federal laws passed in 2023 and 2024, which allowed suspended sentences for prisoners who agreed to fight.
Families of victims express fear
Relatives of crime victims have protested against these releases. In Astrakhan, residents reacted online with anger.
One user wrote, “How can you send such people to war? Their place is behind bars.” Others said they feared the return of violent offenders to their communities.
A February 2025 investigation by Verstka found that more than 750 violent crimes had been committed inside Russia by men returning from the war.
Most incidents involved domestic violence or alcohol-related assaults.
Debate in the russian parliament
In early 2025, State Duma member Nina Ostanina proposed government oversight of released prisoners who had served in the conflict, arguing that it was necessary for public safety.
Lawmaker Andrei Alshevski rejected the idea, saying that “the heroes of the special military operation have already atoned for their guilt with blood.”
According to Russian legal experts, the law now restricts the recruitment of individuals convicted of sexual violence against minors or extremism, but allows many others to serve.
Human rights groups argue that this policy increases risks for both soldiers and civilians.
Sources: Digi24 (Romania, November 4, 2025), Sibir.Realii, Verstka, Meduza, BBC Russian Service.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation
